Gov. Paul LePage, who has a concealed handgun permit, announced Friday he'd put his signature on the bill.

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ Maine Gov. Paul LePage has signed into law a bill to keep confidential names and other information about gun owners who obtain concealed handgun permits.

LePage, who has a concealed handgun permit, announced Friday he'd put his signature on the bill, which was approved a day earlier by lopsided votes in the Maine House and Senate.

The issue was pushed to the forefront in February after the Bangor Daily News made a state Freedom of Access Act request for information on concealed weapons permits issued by the state.

Republican Rep. Corey Wilson of Augusta, the bill's sponsor, said the bill would shield legitimate gun owners from having sensitive information about them open to the public. He called it a public safety concern.